Tea Party Express spokesman Mark Williams' 'accidental' racism continues to have big consequences -- the tea party group that he's long been the public face of is now pretty much disavowing him.

Sal Russo, the veteran Republican political consultant who helped found the Tea Party Express, told Politico that Williams "stepped down a month ago and he is not affiliated" with the tea party group's PAC anymore.

Politico also obtained an e-mail from last year in which Tea Party Express coordinator Joe Wierzbicki expressed reservations about having Williams as a face for the group (while also taking a shot at the group's Deborah Johns).

"Sure wish Mark and Deborah were just a bit more sophisticated and experienced and 'presentable,'" Wierzbicki wrote to a colleague last summer, in an e-mail obtained by POLITICO.

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Eric Lach is a reporter for TPM. From 2010 to 2011, he was a news writer in charge of the website?s front page. He has previously written for The Daily, NewYorker.com, GlobalPost and other publications. He can be reached at ericl@talkingpointsmemo.com